october 2013 bulletin - congregation beth israel, portland oregon

Please join us for anexciting theatrical

experience benefitingCongregation Beth Israel

and featuring the extraordinary talents of Cantor Mark Saltzman, Michael Allen Harrison,

Bryan Hunt, Michele Mariana, and special guest Harold Pollin.

at Pure Space, 1315 NW Overton,

in the Pearl

6:00 pm Pre-event reception for Sponsors and Patron ticket holders

7:30 pm Doors open for general seating

8:00 pm Curtain

Pricing

$250 Patron Supporters

$ 90 General Admission (before October 7)

$110 General Admission (after October 7)

Please RSVP by October 11 with payment to Tracy at

503-222-1069,[email protected], or order your tickets online at

www.bethisrael-pdx.org/BetterThanBroadway

October 2013

BulletinOctober 2013

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5774Vol. 63, No. 1

Established 1858

BETTER THAN BROADWAY

2 Congregation Beth Israel

Sophie Marie AdlerSophie Adler will become Bat Mitzvah on October 5, 2013. She is the daughter of Michael Adler and Molly Newcomer and the younger sister of Jacob. Sophie attends Laurelhurst School in NE Portland. She has selected to work with Grant Youth Basketball for her Mitzvah Project. GYB provides kids in NE Portland with opportunities to develop basketball skills in a

“sportsmanship first” environment. Over a four-week period, Sophie organized and coached basketball clinics for 3rd and 4th grade girls at her school. She wants to pass along her love of basketball and empower other young girls to play team sports. Sophie donated all clinic fees to the Grant Youth Basketball scholarship fund so more kids can participate in the GYB summer league: www.grantyouthbasketball.org/home.php

Mallory Rachel Gradow Mallory Gradow will become Bat Mitzvah on October 12, 2013. She is the daughter of Steven and Michelle Gradow and granddaughter of Bev and Stan Eastern and Jeffrey Gradow. Mallory attends Lakeridge Junior High School in Lake Oswego. She has been an active fundraiser - along with leading one of the youngest fundraising teams - for the

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She is doing this in honor of her grandfather, “Papa” Stan Eastern, who has Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. Together with friends, Mallory has held bake sales and other fundraisings events throughout the area and will participate in the Light the Night Walk the week after her Bat Mitzvah to raise awareness for this cause: www.lightthenight.org/oswim

Matthew George CampbellMatthew Campbell will become Bar Mitzvah on October 19, 2013. He is the son of Dan and Deborah Campbell and younger brother of Robert. Matthew is a 7th grader at Lake Oswego Junior High. Not one to be content with a single Mitzvah Project, Matthew has poured himself into a variety of activities that make a difference in his community, including

helping to set up and break down at the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market; assisting in Meals on Wheels deliveries, complete with a cheery smile; mentoring first-time campers, giving them confidence and security while away from home for the summer; and helping friends learn to swim on the lake. In addition, he has become more aware of his surroundings, opening his eyes to small everyday mitzvot, such as opening doors or picking up for others, or even cooking for his family at home. He loves what he’s experiencing throughout this never-ending process of growth and learning.

Ella Krys MenasheElla Menashe will become Bat Mitzvah on October 26, 2013. She is the daughter of Jack and Madeleine Menashe and the granddaughter of both the Honorable and Mrs. Sheldon J. Krys of Maryland and CBI members Liz and Ruben Menashe. Ella attends Oregon Episcopal School in SW Portland. She is working with the Street Light Shelter for

her Mitzvah Project. A part of Janus Youth Programs, the Street Light

Shelter helps homeless youths ages 13-20 move off the streets and transition into life after street life. Ella’s ongoing work for the shelter is aimed at raising awareness about the hungry and homeless kids in our city. This past year she has helped make food to serve 30-40 and has delivered it throughout the city. To learn more about Street Light Shelter, visit the Janus Youth Programs website: www.janusyouth.org/programs/homeless-youth

Harrison Lazarus GlickmanLaz Glickman will become Bar Mitzvah on November 2, 2013 at Temple Beth Tivkah in Bend, OR. He is the son of Marshall and Lisa Glickman and grandson of Harry and Joanne Glickman. Laz attends Cascades Academy of Central Oregon and is working with Partners in Care and Clare Bridge of Central Oregon for his Mitzvah Project. Both organizations provide a home-like environment for people

facing monumental challenges. Clare Bridge specifically focuses on dementia and Alzheimer’s patients who need special care in order to lead more productive lives. Partners in Care is a hospice, serving people’s discomfort in the final days of their lives, as well as providing support for the families of their residents. A talented musician who has appeared in concert with Michael Allen Harrison, Laz believes that music is a worldwide language and a powerful and meaningful way to communicate. He visits the agency locations weekly and plays piano for the residents, their families and staff. His goal is to give comfort and some joy to people who might otherwise feel depressed or hopeless.

B’nei Mitzvah Adult Education

Adult Education Presents:

Shtetl Life In Europe Sunday, October 6, 10:00 AMPollin ChapelSpeaker: Professor Natan Meir

Professor Natan Meir is the Lorry I. Lokey Assistant Professor of Judaic Studies at Portland State University. His research interest is modern Jewish history, focusing on the social and cultural history of East European Jewry in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. His discussion will “set the stage” for understanding the real world that inspired Fiddler on the Roof.

Portland Center Stage’s Fiddler on the RoofSunday, October 13, 2:00 PMPortland Center StageSpeakers: Rabbi Michael Cahana and Professor Natan Meir

Complementing Professor Meir’s lecture and following up on this year’s Adult Education theme, CBI has reserved a block of 40 tickets to Portland Center Stage’s upcoming performance of Fiddler on the Roof. We have great seats in the center of the theater for the Sunday, October 13th 2:00 PM matinée. Rabbi Cahana and Professor Meir will be giving a pre-show talk beginning at 1:00 PM. Please call Tracy in the CBI office to reserve your seats. Your payment is your reservation.

If you already have tickets, please consider switching your tickets to join our group. This can be done only by contacting the PSC box office at (503) 445-3700.

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3October 2013

Calendar Madness – or “Happy Leap Month Year” By Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana Well, that was a blur! Not only are the High Holidays behind us (and it was glorious to share that time with you), but so are all the Fall holidays of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. And it’s just October!

How many times have we heard “the Holidays are so EARLY this year”? I am supposed to answer, “No, they always occur at exactly the same time – on the Hebrew calendar.” But really – yes, they were REALLY EARLY this year!

In fact, they have not been this early since 1899! And if you recall, last Passover was also outrageously early – March 25th. The last time that happened was, again, 1899.

1899: the same year, I’ve read, that the paperclip and Bayer aspirin were patented. It’s interesting to think of our Jewish ancestors looking at this new-fangled invention – the paperclip – and wondering why Rosh Hashanah was so early!

This exact circumstance (the calendar, not the paperclip) is discussed in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 13b). There are long and complicated answers for why it works out this way. I’ll spare you. The simple answer is that the Jewish calendar is a modified lunar one. Strictly Lunar calendars, like the Muslim one, become swiftly out of sync with the Solar calendar, so that holidays can occur at any season of the year. The Jewish calendar is modified with the goal of keeping Passover in the Spring (and subsequently Sukkot in the Fall). This modification is done in a 19 year cycle by adding an entire MONTH onto the calendar (Adar II) in years 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17 and 19. We are in the 17th year of the cycle. This year is unique in those leap years because of other vagaries in the counting, which won’t occur again until the year 2089. I look forward to celebrating that with you – in 76 years!

Oh, and having Thanksgiving on the First Day of Hannukkah has never happened since President Lincoln established the Holiday (Thanksgiving, not Hannukkah) in 1863. And it will either never happen again, or not until the year 79,811. I’ll get back to you then.

Our two calendars will be back in sync with the addition of the new month Adar II on March 2, 2014. This will push Passover back to the more manageable April 15 (seder is the night of April 14). So do your taxes early this year.

I go through this exercise in Calendar Madness to remind us that our Jewish calendar is full and rich and complex. Holidays and Holy Days are found throughout the year. They are opportunities to connect with your synagogue and with your Jewish traditions. “Early” or “late” or “on time” – they are the rhythm of Jewish life. Each has its own unique meaning and custom.

Make 5774 your year to engage year round!

The Mighty Members of the BrotherhoodBy Sydney A. Baer,Executive Director I take great pride in being an honorary member of the Mighty Members of the Brotherhood, but I have noticed of late that I can no longer say “the mighty men,” because we have lots of ladies working side by side on the projects of the mighty

Brotherhood. Historically, CBI has had strong Brotherhoods, but then things started to wane when some of our more senior leaders decided it was time to pass the baton. Brotherhood hibernated for a few years, looking for a few good men to reorganize! It wasn’t long before Roger Cone, missing the camaraderie and traditions of the CBI Brotherhood, invited his friends to join in the revitalization of our Brotherhood. Thank you to James Anchell, Scott Schaffer, and Bob Winthrop and your boards for continuing to build our Brotherhood. Now the Brotherhood is the place to be with their inclusive, meaningful, and much-needed contributions of love and labor to the projects and programs for CBI. Do watch the Bulletin; they just raised our Sukkah, and they have many social and good works planned in the months to come!

Historically, the Brotherhood has provided us with our ushering corps during High Holy Days. We are so appreciative of our long time ushering corps – many have their 40, 50, and 60 year pins; Alan Rosenfeld might be the longest time usher, as this is most likely his 60th year ushering! Thank you to Mel Birge and your wonderful team of ushers for taking back this long tradition of the Brotherhood. But I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Kevin Hoover and Karen Kranz for being our High Holy Day Ushering Captains and Co-chairs for the past 12+ years, while the Brotherhood took a break from this important and meaningful project. Kevin and Karen saw the void and assumed the responsibility for recruiting, organizing, and training our large usher corps. They worked through many summers, recruiting and connecting with our members to insure that we had safe and smooth entry and seating for our High Holy Day services. They loved being our greeters, they knew who liked to sit where, they knew who needed what, and they made our congregants feel welcome, special, and well taken care of. It is with the greatest appreciation that we say thank you to Kevin and Karen, as they have retired from this labor of love. Thank you for this mitzvah and creating the opportunity for our congregants to give back to our congregation through being a part of your team.

I would be equally remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to the amazing “sisters” of our WRJ/BI Sisterhood, led by Linda Harrison-Fintzy and their board, 100 years strong and the winners of many national awards. They will be honored at this year’s URJ Biennial in San Diego for their informative Child Trafficking programming. They too are our most cherished partners, and I love the collaborations between the “brothers” and the “sisters.” The Sisterhood also loves creating outings to bring everyone together. Watch the bulletin for their diverse and remarkable programs.

Engage, connect, and make a difference; the “brothers” and the “sisters” invite you to join them!

Our Leadership


CBI Book Group Sunday, October 6, 9:00 AMHerbert & Shirley Semler Board RoomPlease join our book group each month for a morning of pleasant literary discussion. There is no need to sign up.

October’s selection is:When They Come For Us We’ll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry by Gal Beckerman

November’s Selection is: A Pigeon And A Boy (A Novel) by Meir Shalev

Jewish Book Month Friday, November 1, 6:00 PMPollin ChapelSpeakers: Audelia DeCosta and David Molko

Portland Jewish Book Month’s book choice for 2013 is Philip Roth’s Nemesis. The novella’s storyline looks at the influx of polio in New Jersey in 1944. It follows the main character, Bucky, the families in his neighborhood, and many others as they deal with the horror of getting polio. How they cope with this and react to the forces of circumstance is the central idea of the book. Roth’s tale leads the readers to question what

would happen if they, or someone they loved, was struck with a debilitating disease or faced death.

On November 1, 2013 Congregation Beth Israel will have a discussion of these issues during the Friday night service. Audelia DeCosta, social worker at Meridian Park Hospital, and David Molko, Senior Outreach Clinician with Jewish Family Services will present “Resilience: Challenging Illness and Moving to a Place of Hope.” Using the book as a jumping off place, we will hear how we can cope with the circumstances we are sometimes faced with.

The public is invited to attend. There will be a pre-neg at 5:15.

URJ North American BiennialWednesday, December 11-Sunday, December 15, 2013San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA

General registration is open for the Union for Reform Judaism’s 2013 72nd North American Biennial, the largest Jewish gathering in North America, taking place Dec. 11-15, 2013, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Priority registration for members of URJ-member congregations has been open since late July.

The URJ Biennial will bring together 5,000 Jewish lay leaders and professionals, youth, congregants, and clergy to learn, pray, share ideas, and make decisions about the future of Jewish life. For the first time ever, the Biennial is open to those outside the Reform Movement.

Early Bird pricing is available through October 18. Visit urjbiennial.zerista.com to register.

Sprucing up the Groundsby Stuart ChestlerPresident, CBI Board of Trustees

You may have noticed some repair work being done lately around our campus. One of the responsibilities we all share as members of Congregation Beth Israel is to ensure that this historic sanctuary and the rest of our campus is well maintained and passed on to future generations. In February, the Board of Trustees approved a program to spend several hundred thousand dollars to address a variety of essential but deferred maintenance and repair issues for our buildings. Our Building and Grounds Committee, led by Jack Menashe and Henry Kunowski, has worked diligently to move these projects forward. This summer we began with the repair of some of our magnificent stained glass windows. These windows were failing and in danger of falling. They were removed, cleaned and rebuilt. They look great, but more importantly; we know that they will be there for years to come.

I want to again give recognition to the incredibly generous gift that has made our current building repair program possible. Some of you may remember our congregant John Neustadter. He passed away about ten years ago and in his will he left Congregation Beth Israel over one million dollars, which we received in 2010. His legacy gift has had a huge impact, allowing us to pay off all our debts from the repair of this building’s roof a few years back, and to then look forward to addressing current needs. We are most appreciative of this generous gift.

It continues to be a great honor for me to serve as your President. I encourage all of you to increase your participation and deepen your connection to the life of our synagogue and community.

CBI presents Better Than Broadway, a fundraiser and intimate evening of entertainment on Saturday, October 19th. This will be another extraordinary evening. Thank you Cantor Cahana for sharing your friends with us again this year. Thank you also to our sponsors, event committee, and attendees for your generous support for CBI.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

Stuart Chestler

Upcoming Events Our Leadership

5October 2013

Developing CBI L’Dor V’Dor From Generation to Generation

Let’s Discuss Dollar$ and Senseby Jenat Levison FeldmanDevelopment Director Conventional wisdom is that you don’t talk publicly about dollars and sex. Well I say – to heck with that. I want us to talk about dollars and sense! What does it take to keep the synagogue we love running? To have the exceptional programming, education, and clergy - all of which touch

our lives every day? It takes lots of dollars and sense! For Fiscal Year 2013-14, our Development Committee has been asked to raise $200,000 to support our operating budget. Some of the specific places the money we will be raising helps support:

• ALL aspects of worship: from Shabbat on the Plaza to music at Holiday services; from Healing Havdallah to our meditation group; and of course for special Holiday celebrations like our annual Martin Luther King, Jr service and celebration and our legendary annual Purim Schpiel.

• L’dor v’dor - religious school tuition only covers 50% of the true cost of educating our next generation

• Repair and maintenance of our historic campus

• Membership Services, our website, bulletin and other communication tools

Just to name a few…... While we have shared that budgets have been tight for many years, with many cuts along the way to maintain a balanced budget, it has been a while since we have really shared the facts about dues, which we prefer to call our congregants’ annual giving contributions. For the past 10+ years, our annual giving contributions have only covered approximately 60% of our operations with cuts to our budget, fees,

tribute funds, allocations from our endowment funds, our fundraising events and many of you reaching a little deeper into your pockets with our Every Family Initiative Campaign to get us to a balanced budget. Thanks for the dollars, thanks for the sense! We are most appreciative of the many who give generously, above our sustaining level, so that we may continue to say that finances are never a barrier to being a part of our community, allowing those unable to contribute at our sustaining level to feel good about contributing their fair share for our operation’s budget. Our engaged Board and professional staff continue to focus on engaging every member of our community in the best way that works for them. Together we are committed to helping keep our congregants connected through innovative programming, continuing to offer programs and services that meet the needs of our diverse membership, and continually striving to offer support, comfort, and ritual of the highest quality for every member. Our clergy and staff are available 24/7. We know that nurturing Jewish lives and creating Jewish memories does not just happen weekdays between 9 and 5. As we invite you to join in supporting OUR Temple to the best of your capacity, we strive to make our friendraising and fundraising events FUN. And speaking of fun and fundraising and dollars and sense, please join me when our talented Cantor Cahana takes the stage on Saturday, October 19th for an amazing Better Than Broadway evening of entertainment, featuring the extraordinary talents of Cantor Mark Saltzman, Michael Allen Harrison, Bryan Hunt, Michele Mariana, and special guest Harold Pollin. Call the office (503) 222-1069 or register online at www.bethisrael-pdx.com/betterthanbroadway. A table is waiting for you… Our congregation is fortunate to have our members committed to helping CBI nurture Jewish lives and create Jewish memories. Congregation Beth Israel belongs to all of us and therefore we all share in this responsibility. Join the fun; join with us at our fundraiser. Speaking frankly, thank YOU for continuing to support our community with your dollar$ and sense!

Mazel Tov toGary Gilbert and Ann Gilbert on the birth of their grandson, Finn Henry Silver, born July 21, 2013. Finn’s parents are Emily and Ross Silver of Bend, OR. Finn joins big brother Ronan (age 2).

CBI Board Member Joanne Van Ness Menashe on her recent appointment to the position of Executive Director of OAJC.

Jen and Howard Feldman on the birth of their first grandson, Sebastian Etan Moskovitz Feldman, on August 20. Proud parents are Leigh Feldman and Sara Moskovitz.

Irvin and Sabrina Stein on the birth of their second son, Levi Fred Stein, born on August 21, 2013. Levi joins big brother Ari (age 4).

May they grow in wisdom and be a source of strengthto their families and all humankind.

Condolences toGerry Jackson and Linda Fintzy and families on the death of their cousin, Davene Cohen, on August 14.

Dr. Jaime Kean and family on the death of her mother, Edna Kean, on August 15 in Iowa City, IA.

Ardis Kowitt on the death of her husband and Eliot Meier on the death of his uncle, Sanford Kowitt, on August 16.

Jeanne Newmark on the death of her husband; Janice, Jerome, and Miles Newmark and families on the death of their father; and David Abrams and Stuart Abrams and families on the death of their uncle, Herbert Newmark, on August 25.

Paul and Alice Meyer and family on the death of his brother, Roger Meyer, on September 3.

L’Dor V’Dor From Generation to Generation


Education Brotherhood

Every Act of Kindness Countsby Ben Sandler, Education Director

As I rode my bike over the Burnside Bridge at 8:30 AM on the way to our “back to school” faculty and madrichim day, my mind was filled with the excitement of our teachers meeting each other for the first time as a group. I was thinking about certain teachers meeting for the first time, the possibility and probability of great collaboration occurring over the year, and of the fun on the journey ahead working with kids and families. The agenda I had planned was far bigger than we would have time to do that day, but I had still prepared one activity after another in wanting to model for teachers that they always want to have way more planned than you will have time for, and to be ready for anything that might come up including extra time during the day. I began to coast down the west side of the bridge and came upon what would be the first of many homeless folks picking themselves off the hard sidewalks to begin another day of just trying to survive on the streets of Portland. I saw bedrolls being bungeed to bicycles, dogs being fed scraps, one man was screaming at a lamppost as a woman staggered through the crosswalk on a red light with car horns blaring at her as she stumbled to make the curb.

Twenty blocks up I had coffee and pastries and safety and love, and a room full of good hearted people preparing diligently to help kids feel good about being Jewish and make the world a better place. I decided not to begin our gathering with all that I had prepared, but rather I asked our teachers and madrichim to tell me what they felt was unique to teaching specifically in Jewish Education. The responses were diverse and profound. I’m honored to be part of such a caring and soulful community that is so committed to teaching the ethics and history of our people and so committed to tikkun olam, repairing our world. I know that our food collection, tzedakah, and advocacy work is not going to get every homeless in Portland person the care and safety they need, but our teachers will rise to our Jewish obligation to not desist from trying and to model and emphasize making the world a better place as a core Jewish value.

In The Mitzvah Project Book by Liz Suneby and Diane Heiman, the authors explore the many reasons to help others and how that is a Jewish value. Helping others makes you appreciate all that you have, taking action makes you believe in yourself, that you have the spirit to make things better. You feel hopeful that your time, effort, and energy will make a change for the better, and that your

grandmother might even call you a mensch!

Our students learn that any action they do with love is a good deed and that every action counts. A major strand of our curriculum in the Religious School is g’milut hasidim, acts of love and kindness. Let’s continue to support all the Mitzvah projects presented to us this year by our bar and bat mitzvah students and to support our classroom teachers and students in creating tzedakah projects and partnerships with food and human service agencies. In this way, our goals of having kids feel good about being Jewish and of repairing our world will continue to blossom.

L’shalom,Ben

Jews with Hammers and DrillsOn Tuesday, September 10th, seventeen healthy and happy men showed up to erect the CBI Sukkah. There were no injuries (although some people became “balance challenged” during construction).

Unfortunately, the Sukkah seems very sturdy - it won’t blow down if there’s a strong wind - so we have some very talented carpenters on our team. Check out the photographic evidence of our construction.

A few upcoming events:October 27 We’ll be having the Ask/Stump the Rabbis event at the synagogue at 10:00 AM.

November 16 The Brotherhood members will be helping out with the Education Department’s “Barn Dance.”

November 24We will be having the ever-popular “Latkes and Vodkas” event.

For other news or items of interest, please check out the Brotherhood website: www.bethisrael-pdx.org/community/brotherhood

Birthright IsraelBirthright Israel is a FREE 10 day trip to Israel for young adults between the ages of 18-26. Trips leave in the Winter, Spring, and Summer. The winter trip dates are tentatively scheduled for December 22-January 2. If you are interested in going on either of the three trips please email [email protected] to add your name to the list. This trip is sponsored by URJ.

For more information, visit www.gokesher.org

7October 2013

Sisterhood

Chanukah Fair!Sunday, November 3

Mark your calendars for Sunday, November 3rd to attend the first WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood Chanukah Fair! Mingle with over 50 vendors, featuring both Judaic and secular items. One stop shopping - purchase gifts for all occasions for everyone on your gift list! Bring your family, friends and neighbors.

Purchase a vendor table now. Tables will be sold for $50.00 each and 10% of your gross profits will be donated back to Sisterhood to help support the religious school programs. All items sold must be new. Reserve your vendor table now. Contact Daureen Morris at [email protected] for a vendor application.

Are You the Parent of a College Student or a US-Based Member of the Military?The Sisterhood College Communications Committee is updating our mailing list of CBI members who are current college students or US-based members of the military. We send two packages a year, usually at Chanukah and Purim, to keep in touch with our kids, let them know we’re thinking of them, and to wish them well while they’re away at school or the military. We send the Jewish Mother’s version of a care package, with packets of soup and cocoa, dreidels and gelt, or hamentashen and groggers. We include a student directory, a note from Rabbi Cahana, and anything else we think might interest/benefit them. We also slip in a Starbucks or iTunes gift card when possible. Parents of college students or children in the military (US-based), please contact Kathleen Doctor by November 1, at [email protected], with the following:

• Name of student or military member

• Email address• College attending• Address• Year in school• Permission to include name and email in student directory• Any dietary restrictions

This is a free service made possible by funds directly budgeted by our Sisterhood, member donors, and the Urman Family College Communication Fund. The next time you plan to give a tribute, please consider the Urman Family College Communication Fund.

5th Annual Sisterhood-Sponsored Tot ShabbatSaturday, November 2, 9:30 AMPollin Chapel

Please join us on Saturday, November 2nd at 9:30 a.m. in the Pollin Chapel for a service with Kim Palumbis, aimed at our youngest members. Following the service, Sisterhood will have an age-appropriate craft project for little ones and parents, as well as snacks for everyone.

Sisterhood Open House: Pink Martinis for Breast FriendsThursday, October 10, 7:00–9:00 PMMiller Room, Sherman Education Center

Join us for a very special Beth Israel Sisterhood open house. Our guest speaker is Becky Olson of Breast Friends, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for female cancer patients. Becky is an award winning speaker, co-founder of Breast Friends, and a three time cancer survivor. “Her upbeat and contagious optimism is inspiring to everyone.” She’ll be speaking about “H.O.P.E.: Helping Others Provide Empathy.”

Every woman in America will be touched by breast or other women’s cancers in her lifetime. One in eight women will be diagnosed, and the other seven will know her. Breast Friends’ goal is to reach the seven in order to help the one. We are requesting a $5.00 donation to support the programs at Breast Friends.

In addition, this is also your opportunity to sample what Sisterhood has to offer. Learn about our programs for the coming year. Committee chairs will be delighted to meet with you and suggest ways for you to be involved. The Sisterhood Gift Shop will be offering a one-night only discount of 20% off most merchandise and giving out great door prizes! Enjoy cheese, desserts, and pink cocktails (bar staffed by members of our mighty Brotherhood!). WRJ/BIS is a group of dynamic women at all ages and stages of life who come together for fun and friendship, spiritual growth and learning, and service and support of our synagogue and community. All that is missing is YOU. All women are invited. Bring a friend and join us. Please let Shelly Levy know that you will be attending: 973-715-3234 or [email protected].

Becky Olson


With the new year comes new opportunities to become involved with the Social Action Committee.

We just concluded our annual High Holiday Food Drive. Recognizing the benefit of providing funding to our recipient organizations, Lift Urban Portland and the Sunshine Pantry, we provided our congregants with the opportunity to make cash donations, as well as food donations. We would appreciate your giving us an opinion as to whether you want to continue to have this option.

Implementing the vision of Solomon and Andrew Olshin, the Social Action Committee ran three successful SoupSac programs. The Committee also continued its support of the NW Tower and Annex as part of the Lift Urban Portland Adopt-a-Highrise Program. With your generous contributions and the shopping expertise of Joanie Rosenbaum, we expanded the back to school supply drive for the children of the NW Tower Annex to purchase the items on the children’s class lists.

Lynn Tobias, Sarah Epstein, and Joanie Rosenbaum are working with Urban Gleaners seeking new food donors. Committee members pro-vided a Christmas Eve dinner and gifts for the residents of Stepping Stones and their children. Daphna Stadig and Kate Royston organized the Pots and Pans for Purim for the Community Warehouse. With the support of the Religious School, the Committee also provided gift bags for the guests at the Trinity Episcopal Church Easter dinner.

We ended the program year with a well-attended Mitzvah Day, led by James Anchell, Janet Morgan, Mary Scalone and Julia Waldinger.

Sherry Fishman coordinated activities as our representative to the JFGP Community Relations Committee. Members of the Committee agreed to form a team for the Village Support Network.

The Allocations Subcommittee chaired by Lynn Tobias voted to pro-vide contributions to: Janus Youth Programs in honor of Beth Israel Sisterhood’s receipt of the Gold Or Ami “Light of My People” Award, the Israel Religious Action Center’s Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism - Women of the Wall, the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin, Camp Rosenbaum, Jewish Family and Child Service, Community Warehouse, Lift Urban Portland for its annual Christmas Dinner and food programs (including $2,000 as the first contribution to the newly named Eve and Alan Rosenfeld Food Fund), the Meals on Wheels People, the Village Support Network, Sisters of the Road Cafe, Urban Gleaners, and programs for the residents of the NW Tower and Annex. As we continue last year’s programming, we are also:• Forming a team to make desserts once a month for Potluck in the

Park.• Expanding our work with NW Tower, including a Wednesday

afternoon tutoring/story time.• Conducting research on how to address local needs and expand our

advocacy to alleviate hunger.

Our work would not be possible without the expert guidance from Rabbi Joseph, Rabbi Cahana, Cantor Cahana, and Sydney Baer and the unstinting support from Jemi Mansfield, Tracy Alifanz, Jim Baldwin, Vicki Greif, Dara Docherty, and Craig Paton and his team.

We welcome your involvement in our activities and ideas for new projects that are meaningful to you. Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like more information. Please check our page at www.bethisrael-pdx.org for meeting dates and activities.

AltAr Flowers And oneg shAbbAtIn Memory of

Herbert TobiasMitzi and Bob TobiasKatie DavisBessie KraneSandy KowittSue and Joel Krane

In Honor ofBunny Edelson (Recovery)Robert and Rita Philip

Amy r. goldsmith librAryIn Memory of

Cecile GibsteinThe Abrams FamilyJay Leon WrightClaire and Zanley Galton

brotherhood scholArship FundIn Memory of

Stanton L. AbramsThe Abrams Family

cemetery beAutiFicAtionIn Memory of

Sandy KowittDavid Lipman and Peggy

WiederhornFloyd Black & FamilyHerb NewmarkDavid Lipman and Peggy

WiederhornRena and Cheryl TonkinHerb BlackRobert and Rita PhilipEdward TonkinRena and Cheryl Tonkin & David and

Daniel LernerGina LeviJoy AlkalayHarriet LomskyGeri and Jerry MatinJane RitchieFloyd BlackBerthold NeubergerPatricia NeubergerMort BonimeThe Family of Mort BonimeWilliam PhilipFrancis CappelRobert and Rita Philip

Ed TonkinRon TonkinAsa ArnsbergLarry Arnsberg & Susan Diamond

rAbbi cAhAnA discretionAryIn Memory of

Sanford (Sandy) KowittArdis Kowitt & FamilyHerb, Leslie, and Daniel BlackEdna KeanJaime KeanHerbert NewmarkSally and Debbie MinkElaine J. SavinarDavid and Liz LippoffHugo LewinsohnPete and Cynthia LewinsohnAnne R. StrickerSally and Debbie MinkConstance (Connie) LipmanDerek and Lydia LipmanDavid TurtledoveDavid MeyerMarvin LippoffDavid and Liz Lippoff

In AppreciationPeggy BirdIrvin and Sabrina Stein

cAntor cAhAnA discretionAryIn Memory of

Aaron LertzmanAlan and Lynn Lertzman

In AppreciationThe Overbeck FamilyIrvin and Sabrina Stein

rAbbi Joseph discretionAryIn Honor of

Jen and Howard Feldman (Son’s marriage)

Sydney and Bill BaerDiane and David RosencrantzJen and Howard Feldman

(Grandson’s birth)Sydney and Bill BaerRabbi Rachel JosephSandi and Rick Popowitz

In AppreciationThe Overbeck FamilyIrvin and Sabrina Stein

Social Action Very Thoughtful People

Please join us at our next Social Action Committee meeting on Wednesday, October 9 at 7:00 PM

in Goodman Hall.

9October 2013

cAntor schiFF discretionAryIn Appreciation

The Overbeck Family

generAl AdministrAtiveIn Memory of

Sanford KowittGeorge and Frances LehleitnerVerlin CampbellEdward and Mary VranizanJohn ShipleyJoe SchnitzerSylvia Nemer DavidsonHerbert NewmarkEric and Tiffany RosenfeldGeorge S. BinghamJ. H. SteedMary Ann YeriganIda RaskinBetty J. RaskinBessie Kaplan GlickmanHarry and Joanne GlickmanWalter GoodmanDouglas and Lila Goodman

General ContributionGiven ByEdythe Steinbock

hAl ruthizer culturAl ArtsIn Memory of

Dora GelwasserSylvia and Arthur Kaplan

holidAy childcAreIn Honor of

Chaya Rose Feinstein Peltz (Birth)

Robert and Leslie Peltz

lAndAu chApelIn Memory of

Herbert NewmarkStan and Joyce Loeb

oserAn FAmily lectureIn Memory of

Rachel LevetonMarilyn GoldmanMary GoldmanRich and Sue Garber & Family

preschoolIn Memory of

Davene Vines-CohenMorrie and Gerry JacksonGolda ManesMichael S. Swett

In Honor ofSondra and Gordon Pearlman

(50th Anniversary)Patricia Layton Nemer

General ContributionGiven ByPaul Schmidt

ruth semler youth ActivitiesIn Memory of

Irene GilbertJoan and Louis SorianoJennie PollinHarold PollinHerbert NewmarkStuart and Susan Shleifer

In Honor ofJack Goldstein (Consecration)Stuart and Susan Shleifer

sociAl Action (generAl)In Memory of

Daniel KirkLeonard, Yvonne, and Ben GionetGerald H. SolomonDick SolomonSanford KowittHenry and Nancy OseranHerb NewmarkRay and Dorothy PackouzDonna and Richard BrownsteinJim and Ilene DavidsonErnest Bonyhadi and Shirley

GittelsohnGerald and Evelyn LeshgoldTheodore KleinrockLeslie and Robert PeltzGeorge DubinAnita and David August

FoodIn Memory of

Jerry and Sam HammelSusy, Marci, and Katrina HammelSandy KowittDavia and Ted RubensteinBeverly and Marty ZellElaine SavinarJerry and Evelyn LeshgoldMarilyn ForseStephen Press and Laura LaneHerb NewmarkBeverly and Marty Zell & FamilyBunny EdelsonGeorge BodnerNancy and Henry OseranRosemarie RosenfeldDavia and Ted RubensteinSusan GersonRenée and Irwin HolzmanPhilip and Dorothy ReiterLois SchnitzerSusan Davis MortonAllen E. LichtgarnStan and Joyce LoebRay VeltmanMarcia Colton, Risa Colton-Feldman

and Louis Feldman, & Jacob and Noah Feldman

Daniel GassnerRuth GassnerBettyLou MargulisJerome MargulisDavid and Dolorosa MargulisJette NeubergerPatricia NeubergerLillian FeingoldClaudia FentonLee and Frank BerneMarvin Morris OzielDonna O. BrownsteinRose FreidenrichJane FlaxmanRoger MeyerRenée and Irwin Holzman

In Honor ofAlan Rosenfeld (90th Birthday)Diane and David RosencrantzDick Davis (Recovery)Rena and Cheryl Tonkin

Lynn and Jeff Wolfstone (Son’s marriage)

Davia and Ted RubensteinRose RustinHarley and Ulla SachsHerman RosenblumRaissa TarlowSharon TarlowDr. Harry SemlerJames Spivak

General ContributionGiven ByHarriet SchatzLinda Ostomel

i hAve A dreAmIn Memory of

Daniel MeekcomsLeonard, Yvonne, and Ben GionetDr. Robert MayDr. William and Beverly GalenLillie FeuersteinHoward and Tamra FeuersteinHerb NewmarkEleanore RubinsteinSidney W. SchlesingerOwen and Lynn Blank

nw tower school suppliesIn Memory of

David TurtledovePaul and Alice Meyer

stAined glAss windows proJectIn Memory of

Nancy RosenbergAlan and Lana Miller

temple improvementIn Memory of

Nathan FeldmanElizabeth and Ruben J. MenasheIda ShleiferSusan and Stuart ShleiferNorm D. SavinarElaine J. Savinar

In AppreciationCraig Paton, Andy Coles, and

Drew Christensen (For work at Shabbat on the Plaza)

Lynn Bonner

temple restorAtionIn Memory of

Nancy RosenbergJeffrey Lachman

urmAn FAmily college communicAtionIn Memory of

Elizabeth SilversteinJack UrmanMarvin and Lois Urman

estelle director sholkoFF Jewish educAtors scholArshipIn Memory of

Karensue Sholkoff DobrowRichard Dobrow, Shasa Dobrow,

and Rachel Dobrow Stone

heims FAmily youth Activities endowmentGeneral Contribution

Given ByPeter and Marjorie Albin

mAy georges study in isrAel scholArshipIn Memory of

Herbert NewmarkDr. William and Beverly GalenDiane and David Rosencrantz

nettie director librAry book endowment In Memory of

Nettie DirectorBruce DirectorHerbert NewmarkBarbara and Howard M. CohnDr. Herman KoreyStuart and Nikki DirectorNettie DirectorStuart and Nikki DirectorNeal and Lisa Rosen

In Honor ofHoward and Jen Feldman

(Becoming grandparents)Bill Baer (75th Birthday)Stuart and Nikki Director

WRJ/Beth IsRael sIsteRhood Funds

bikkur holim - hope in liFeIn Honor of

Barbara Caplan (Recovery)Elizabeth and Ruben J. Menashe

prAyer bookIn Memory of

Elias LichtgarnStan and Joyce Loeb

Harry ShaferLois SchnitzerHerb NewmarkMollie S. Levin & Ellen L. and Marty

JacobsDr. Herman KoreyStuart and Nikki DirectorEdwin CohenIlaine Cohen, Stacie Jolly, and Stuart

Cohen

service to the blindIn Memory of

Dorothy WheatleyMarcia Colton, Risa Colton-Feldman

and Louis Feldman, & Jacob and Noah Feldman

sisterhood progrAmming, leAdership & enrichmentIn Memory of

Fred BuellMichael Tannenbaum

Very Thoughtful People


In RemembranceOctober 4 & 5Asa I. ArnsbergBernhard S. BackmanLouis BaerRichard H. BermanMaurice B. BlancLou BlankMortimer BonimeJoseph BoyarskyCharlotte BrooksFred BuellRose ByerAnna ChusidMorris ChusidRenee CohenKarensue DobrowLillian FeingoldLeah FingerLeonard FinkRobert FischbackRose FreidenrichAbe G. GilbertBessie Kaplan GlickmanElana Bess GoldPauline GoldLester GoldschmidtWalter GoodmanLenora GordonSarah HahnLouis HalpernMarvin HelfSylvia JavorsSamuel JosephHannah KohenRabbi Joshua KohenHarry L. LansbergMollie LeopoldGina LeviElias “Al” LichtgarnMax LoewensonBetty Lou MargulisMarshall MazerDaniel H. MillerMoses MuscovitzJette NeubergerCharlotte OstomelFred PolskyKatrina PongraczAlvin Popick

Irving PopickGeorge RicklesJane RitchieRalph RubensteinRose RubensteinMelvin Jerome SchoenwaldBob SchwartzTom S. ShulevitzS. Elizabeth SilversteinIrving SteinFaye SteresLouis StraussJack UrmanRay VeltmanEsther WeinerSande WeintraubMyrtle Marsha Wexler WilliamsJay Leon WrightLeslie Burnett WrightWilliam H. Zavin

October 11 & 12Stanton L. AbramsJulia BardeOlga W. BaruhShirley BergmanIrene BessetteM. Monte BettmanTheodor BlumenthalAlice CarrRichard DanielsKatie DavisGeorge DubinMadeline FeldmanJay GittelsohnFred KirkHerman G. KoreyJerome “Corky” KornbergReuben D. KramerRosalie KroneRachael LevetonJon LevinRuth LiebreichArnold MaizelsRobert MillsGordon V. NagelBerthold NeubergerIda Raskin

Fritzi H. ReinemanJesse J. RichManfred RosenthalJames M. RothschildPaula Ulla SchlesingerJoe SchnitzerMary SchoenfeldRobert SchulbergHarry SchwartzLaurence SellingPearl F. ShifmanMax A. ShifrinIda ShleiferLula Lou SmertenkoDorothy WheatleyMary Ann YeriganRose Zavin

October 18 & 19Irvin L. BaronKate BraunsteinDavid BronheimRalph Orville CullersRachel De LeeuwDavid H. FertigRose FertigDaniel GassnerDora GelwasserIrene GilbertJulius A. GraberBesse HexterDave G. HoltzmanHanita JacobiLeopold KahnTheodore KleinrockNeil KohnRosalie LebMarvin LippoffDora E. MarkusEllen Seller MeierHarvey MillerMegan MorrisRose PannamanWilliam PhilipMichael RoffeBessie RosenbaumNorman D. SavinarHerbert M. SchwabJean Kerr Schwartz

Henriette R. SendersAndor SolteszFannie SonnenfeldDean R. StoloffHerbert N. Tobias

October 25 & 26Frances AlbertLaura AvakyanBernadine Barde BrennerFrancis CappelFrederick CezerEdwin CohenNettie DirectorDavid ElconinLillie FeuersteinSydney Mitchell FinegoldFlorence FrischCecile GibsteinDavid E. GoldBernard GoldhammerDavid GoldsteinBetty HuntBessie L. KraneBen LachmanBen M. LeshgoldHugo LewinsohnSolomon LieppmanConstance LipmanHarriet LomskyHarry LowengartLois G. MaizelsGolda ManesJerome MargulisFay MenasheFannie MesherSol Jack MeyerCarol Spero NewmanJonathan Uhry NewmanGoldie Stern OsterJennie PollinAlex PomerantzMary Sarah RoseHerman R. RosenblumHannah RubensteinDr. Howard SchatzAdelaide SellingSadie F. ShemanskiGerald H. Solomon

Judith StillmanAnne R. StrickerRaissa TarlowDavid TurtledoveHilda S. WeinsteinFannie WexlerCarolyn S. WolfeRuth Kauffman WolffEileen Zugman

November 1 & 2Abe BercovitzWilliam R. BooneE. D. CohenThelma Ruth CrabbRaoul De LeeuwCarolyn DienerRonald EdelmanClaudia V. FentonEileen FentonOphelia FosterSam FreedmanMarilyn GoldmanJane E. GreenJulius L. GreeneJohn GrossmanBudick KahanaIrving KleinIna KreifelsPaula LautersteinMartin LehmannSilvan LidovitchEstelle MayerRuth McBrideDevora MittlemanSadee MuzikantAnna Renee NagelSamuel S. ParkerMorris PlattNancy RosenbergSidney SchlesingerGretchen N. SeethoffDr. Harry SemlerHarry ShaferRose ShevachBarbara SingerEdward TonkinEdward E. WeinsteinHenrietta Wolfstein

Senior RabbiMichael Z. [email protected]

Senior CantorIda Rae [email protected]

Assistant RabbiRachel L. [email protected]

Rabbi EmeritusEmanuel Rose, D.H.L., [email protected]

Cantor EmeritaJudith Blanc Schiff [email protected]

Education Department

Education DirectorBen Sandler, M. Ed. [email protected]

Early Childhood Education DirectorDeborah [email protected]

Education AdministratorMor [email protected]

Member Services

Executive DirectorSydney A. [email protected]

Development DirectorJen [email protected]

Congregational Affairs DirectorJemi Kostiner Mansfield [email protected]

Finance DirectorJim Baldwin, [email protected]

Accounting AssistantVicki [email protected]

Project CoordinatorDara [email protected]

Office AdministratorTracy [email protected]

Facilities ManagerCraig [email protected]

Facilities StaffAndy ColesDrew Christensen

Catering Panel

Alfresco Catering by Sheraton503-335-2858Shellie Postlewait

Art of Catering503-231-8185Larry Grimes

Food in Bloom503-223-6819Catherine Hernandez

Century Catering503-849-2605Allen Levin

Devil’s Food Catering503-233-9288Charles Stilwell

Culinary Artistry503-232-4675Jenn Louis

CBI Team

11Congregation Beth Israel

October 2013 Tishrei-Cheshvan 5774

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY1 Tishrei 27

2 Tishrei 28

Midrasha 5:30 PM SEC

Alef Bet Class with Cantor Schiff6:00 PM LB

3 Tishrei 29

IHP4:30 PM SEC

WRJ/BIS Board Meeting6:30 PM SBR

4 Tishrei 30

Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR

Kabbalat Shabbat Service 6:00 PM PC

JND Shabbat Service7:30 PM PC

5 Cheshvan 1 Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR

Tot Shabbat Service 9:30 AM PC

Shabbat Service:Bat Mitzvah of Sophie Adler 10:30 AM Temple

6 Cheshvan 2

Book Group9:00 AM SBR

Religious School/ B’nei Mitzvah 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Adult Education: Shtetl Life in Europe10:00 AM PC

Kol Echad Choir Rehearsal11:30 AM BTB

7 Cheshvan 3 8 Cheshvan 4 Meditation Group7:30 PM SC

9 Cheshvan 5

Knit-a-Mitzvah 10:00 AM SBR

Education and Youth Committee11:45 AM SBR



Social Action Meeting 7:00 PM GH

10 Cheshvan 6 Adult Education Committee8:30 AM SBR

Executive Committee12:00 PM SBR

IHP4:30 PM SEC

Sisterhood Membership Open House6:30 PM MR

11 Cheshvan 7

No Preschool


Shir Shabbat Service 6:00 PM PC

12 Cheshvan 8

Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR

Shabbat Service:Bat Mitzvah of Mallory Gradow 10:30 AM Temple

13 Cheshvan 9

No Sunday Programming

14 Cheshvan 10 15 Cheshvan 11 16 Cheshvan 12



17 Cheshvan 13

IHP4:30 PM SEC

Board of Trustees Meeting6:15 PM SBR

18 Cheshvan 14



19 Cheshvan 15


Shabbat Service:Bar Mitzvah of Matthew Campbell 10:30 AM Temple

20 Cheshvan 16


ECE Shabbat Sunday Celebration10:30 AM Room 3


21 Cheshvan 17 22 Cheshvan 18

Meditation Group7:30 PM SC

23 Cheshvan 19



24 Cheshvan 20 IHP4:30 PM SEC

Intro to Judaism7:00 PM PC

25 Cheshvan 21 Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR


26 Cheshvan 22 Torah Study 9:00 am SBR Shabbat Service:Bat Mitzvah of Ella Menashe 10:30 AM Temple

27 Cheshvan 23


Ask/Stump the Rabbis10:00 AM MR


28 Cheshvan 24 29 Cheshvan 25 30 Cheshvan 26



31 Cheshvan 27

No IHP Classes

1 Cheshvan 28



Jewish Book Month Speaker: David Molko

JND Shabbat Service7:30 PM PC

2 Cheshvan 29


Tot Shabbat ServiceSponsored by Sisterhood 9:30 AM PC

Shabbat Service 10:30 AM PC

Location Key

HH = Harris Hall BA = Blumauer Auditorium GH = Goodman Hall LB = Library LF = Lipman Foyer MR = Miller Room PC = Pollin Chapel

SBR = Shirley & Herbert Semler Board Room SC = Shemanski Chapel SEC = Sherman Education Center SFC = Schnitzer Family Center

AdministrationOffices & Clergy 503-222-1069Education Department & Preschool 503-222-2037Fax Machine 503-274-1400WRJ/BI Sisterhood Judaica Gift Shop 503-222-1069Beth Israel Cemetery 503-222-1069426 SW Taylors Ferry Road

View our online calendar atwww.bethisrael-pdx.org

Art of Catering503-231-8185Larry Grimes

Food in Bloom503-223-6819Catherine Hernandez

Century Catering503-849-2605Allen Levin

Devil’s Food Catering503-233-9288Charles Stilwell

Culinary Artistry503-232-4675Jenn Louis

Better than Broadway7:30 PM Pure Space


AdministrationOffices & Clergy 503-222-1069Education Department & Preschool 503-222-2037Fax Machine 503-274-1400WRJ/BI Sisterhood Judaica Gift Shop 503-222-1069Beth Israel Cemetery 503-222-1069

Congregation Beth Israel1972 NW Flanders StreetPortland, OR 97209-2097

Congregation Beth Israel Bulletin (USPS 0128-660)1972 NW Flanders Street Portland, Oregon 97209-2097

Periodicals Postage Paid at Portland, OregonPublished Monthly except Bi-Monthly in July/August

by Congregation Beth IsraelPOSTMASTER: Send address changes to

CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL1972 NW Flanders St. Portland, Oregon 97209-2097

A D D R E S S S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism since 1879

Board of Trustees 2013/2014

Stuart Chestler President

Ned Duhnkrack VP/President Elect

Ilene DavidsonVice President

Elizabeth DomagalskiVice President

Brad Tonkin Vice President

Ted Nelson Secretary

John Epstein Treasurer

Jonathan BargDeborah CaldwellEric Friedenwald-Fishman Ali GarfinkleLinda GeorgesSharon MeieranJoanne Van Ness MenasheMark PetermanMarney PikeRon SilverArthur SteinhornJane Vereschagin

TrusteesOfficers

AuxiliariesLinda Harrison-Fintzy - WRJ/BI Sisterhood PresidentBob Winthrop - Brotherhood President

Live Old Time Music Band and "Dance Caller"All dances will be taught during the party!

All Ages Big Fun!

FAMILY BARN DANCE

for thebeth israel

Saturday, November 16

All proceeds benefit Beth Israel’s Education programs

october 2013 bulletin - congregation beth israel, portland oregon

Documents

bat mitzvah

bar mitzvah

rachel gradow mallory

basketball skills

love of basketball

single mitzvah project

lake oswego junior high

michelle gradow